The pain unit of Hospital Valdemar helps daily pain patients cope with chronic pain. The pain may stem from a traffic accident, an operation or a disease, and is now associated with reduced quality of life and work ability. Pain treatment typically lasts one and a half years and is performed with an interdisciplinary perspective focusing on physical, mental, social, nutritional and training perspectives.

However, the hospital staff members sometimes see that patients fail to attend consultations, because they are too impaired, physically or mentally, to overcome the obstacles of transportation to and fro the hospital.

The Patient@home project "Telemedicine in chronic pain consultations" examine whether telemedicine can improve the quality of pain management and increase pain patients' active participation in their own treatment. The project is also based on international studies and tests, which have shown positive results from applying telemedicine in connection with chronic pain treatment.

Vision

The pain unit of Hospital Valdemar assumes there is a  great potential in including video communications in such parts of the pain treatment that do not require physical presence. The objective of using telemedicine video conferencing to selected consultations is to:

• Ensure easier access to pain management
• Increase the efficiency of treatment - avoiding cancellations
• Obtain the best possible result of pain treatment and thus greater satisfaction among pain patients.

Results

The project comprises a user survey and pain mapping of patients' existing pain treatments. This is done through interviews with patients and health professionals, observation of pain consultations and involvement of companies. The project will lead to:

• Insight into the impacts, opportunities and challenges occurring when introducing video consultations with patients with chronic pain
• Development of a new service model for pain treatment at Hospital Valdemar
• Development and adaptation of a technology solution that can be used in telemedicine consultations (video conferencing equipment from one or more companies).